Shut It Down, the remixThe Post-Standard's Mike Waters talks to Rob Murphy, one of Syracuse University men's basketball team's assistant coaches, and Juli Boeheim about the new "Shut It Down" remix, a new "800 Club - Mr. Boeheim" song, and how the proceeds from the songs and t-shirts are benefiting the Jim Boeheim Foundation.

Syracuse, N.Y. -- You’re Rob Murphy, the first day of the rest of your life has dawned . . . and, well, look at you. You’re the head basketball coach at Eastern Michigan University, some 35 miles removed from your native Detroit.

You’ve been given a raise, you’ve been given as much security as your profession allows, you’ve been given an opportunity to make an even bigger name for yourself. And good for you. With a sharp mind inside of that shiny head, with a personality sunny enough to brighten a cave, with a roll-up-your-sleeves work ethic, you deserve this gig.

Of course, you’ll need all of your wares to make things yummy in Ypsilanti because the truth of the matter is that the Eagles haven’t flown much of late. In fact, they've bad enough to get their last coach, Charles Ramsey, fired by losing 50 more games than they won over these past six campaigns.

But that’s the nature of your business, where new coaches almost always take over wheezing programs. Which means that once you are officially named the EMU boss at this morning’s media briefing, the challenge of your young professional life will begin.

You’re Rob Murphy, though, so you’ll be prepared.

Sitting just down the bench from Jim Boeheim as one of his assistants for these past seven seasons at Syracuse University has broadened your basketball horizons. Kibitzing with Mike Hopkins and Bernie Fine, your fellow Orange aides, has sharpened your teaching skills. Mentoring all those SU forwards has provided the hands-on experience you’ll take back home with you into the upper Midwest.

And then there are all those walking, talking advertisements that speak to your talents. Maurice Ager . . . Antonio Gates . . . Hakim Warrick . . . Donte Greene . . . Wesley Johnson. You worked with each of them -- at either Crockett Technical High School in Detroit, Kent State or Syracuse -- and all made their way into the NBA (or in Gates’ case, the NFL). And Kris Joseph, the Orange's senior-to-be, may some day be added to your list of pros.

You’re Rob Murphy, and Boeheim (who will sorely miss your recruiting touch) says you’re ready for this. More than ready. And if he says it, it must be true.

Eastern Michigan, here you come. This first day of the rest of your life should lead to many more.

(Bud Poliquin’s “To The Point” observations and his columns appear regularly in The Post-Standard. His work, including freshly-written on-line commentaries, can also be found virtually every day on syracuse.com. Additionally, he can be heard Mondays through Fridays (10 a.m.-12 noon), on the "Bud & the Manchild" sports-talk radio show on The Score 1260-AM. E-mail: bpoliquin@syracuse.com.)